It’s nothing short of a dogfight. (5)
Shaolin.
Beop Jong quietly observed those seated before him.
Jao Gae [자오개(慈烏丐)*] Neungsam [능삼(能三)**], who had come in place of the Beggars Sect’s Sect Leader. Jongli Hyeong [종리형(宗利形)], the Demon-Subduing Hermit [복마산인(伏魔山人)] of Kongtong Sect. And Paeng Yeop [팽엽(彭曄)], the Lightning Fast Blade [섬전쾌도(閃電快刀)] of Hebei Paeng family.
Each of them a renowned name.
However, considering that the Abbot of the great Shaolin had personally extended the invitation, the presence of only three individuals seemed underwhelming. No matter how powerful each one might be.
Even with Kunlun, who hadn’t arrived yet due to the distance, there would only be four. Even including the enigmatic Zhuge Family, whose intentions were unclear, there would still be no more than five.
If this were the time when Shaolin’s name stood tall as the northern star of Gangho, at least ten sect leaders would have gathered here.
Though Beop Jong’s heart was burning with frustration, he didn’t reveal his feelings to those gathered in front of him.
Was it to avoid showing weakness?
No, that wasn’t it.
There was no need for him to expose his inner turmoil, as the eyes of those present already reflected the same understanding.
“Is no one else coming?”
At that moment, Jao Gae Neungsam, ignoring any sense of tact, casually asked. Beop Jong responded with a broad smile.
“The Sect Leader of Kunlun is on his way. Zhuge Family will be here soon as well.”
“Kunlun and Zhuge… Then the others aren’t coming?”
“I haven’t received a definite answer yet.”
Beop Jong gave a brief reply, casting a sidelong glance at Neungsam.
This was the Beggars Sect, after all. With their vast network of information, there was no way they didn’t know this was all the attendees that could be gathered. And yet, Neungsam had deliberately brought it up, grating on Beop Jong’s nerves.
“Our Sect Leader asked that I attend as he believes a discussion is necessary… but can we really reach any conclusions with just us?”
Neungsam said.
Beop Jong mustered the softest smile he could.
“Those absent will accept whatever decisions are made here, so it shouldn’t be a major issue.”
“I hope that’s the case… But how am I supposed to explain this to our Sect Leader?”
Neungsam responded.
Instead of answering, Beop Jong quietly rolled the prayer beads in his hand. It was a habit of his when his mind was unsettled.
He wasn’t exactly angry, more… disheartened.
How many years had passed since the grand martial arts tournament was held at Shaolin? At that time, no one had doubted Shaolin’s position as the leader of Gangho.
Back then, Gupailbang and Five Great Families, along with the heads of many prominent sects across the land, had all visited Shaolin, eager to build a friendly relationship with him. Yet, in just a few short years, the situation had changed so drastically.
“Those who didn’t come are of no consequence. It’s no use dwelling on them! Having more people here would only result in more needless talk.”
Paeng Yeop’s cold voice cut through the room.
Beop Jong glanced at him with renewed interest. Judging people by appearance was a bad habit, but Paeng Yeop always seemed so uncharacteristic of someone from the Hebei Paeng family.
The Paeng family was known for their large physiques. It was, after all, this natural advantage in size that allowed the Paeng family to establish their reputation as masters of the Dao [도(刀)***].
However, Paeng Yeop’s physique was not large at all. In fact, he was slightly smaller than Beop Jong.
Perhaps that was why Paeng Yeop exuded not strength, but sharpness – like a sword honed to its peak.
“More importantly,”
Paeng Yeop said, staring at Beop Jong with a piercing gaze,
“What is your plan, Abbot? You don’t intend to just leave them be, do you?”
Despite his smaller stature, Paeng Yeop had certainly inherited the Paeng family’s infamous impatience, diving straight to the heart of the matter without any preamble.
“We have gathered here to discuss that…”
Beop Jong began.
“There’s no time to waste. Even now, Sapaeryeon might be gathering forces at Jiujiang on the Yangtze River. If we give them more time, the situation will only grow worse.”
There was no disputing the substance of Paeng Yeop’s words. Beop Jong was well aware of that.
But it seemed someone in the room held a different opinion.
“It’s not something that requires such haste,”
Jongli Hyeong, the Sect Leader of Kongtong, calmly interjected.
“The enemy is Sapaeryeon. We cannot afford to underestimate them.”
“I’m aware of that, but…”
“More concerning is that there’s no guarantee the other Gupaillbang sects will provide support in time. If conflict spreads, they’ll have no choice but to join, but by then, the damage might already be too great.”
“But we can’t just sit by and do nothing.”
“It might provoke them further. After all, they are still lingering near Jiujiang on the Yangtze, aren’t they?”
Paeng Yeop responded coldly to those words.
“Jiujiang on the Yangtze? Sect Leader, that’s Gangbuk.”
“And is there some law that says Sapaeryeon can’t set foot in Gangbuk?”
“What are you saying…?”
Jongli Hyeong shook his head calmly.
“The Gangnam Treaty might have given us the illusion that our territories and Sapaeryeon’s are clearly divided, but we’ve never stopped the Evil Sects from entering Gangbuk before. So, why bring this up now as if it’s a new problem?”
Neungsam, who had been listening quietly, chuckled softly.
“Sect Leader, you’re right, but the problem is that the public doesn’t see it that way.”
“The public…”
“They may think we can’t cross into Gangnam, but there’s no way we can just sit here and declare that Sapaeryeon can freely enter Gangbuk, is there?”
“Hmm. That’s…”
This time, even Jongli Hyeong didn’t have a counterargument.
“While the justification may be clear, the real issue is the reality we face, Abbot,”
Nengsam said, turning his gaze to Beop Jong.
“You need to be honest with us. I came here at the risk of ten thousand lives from the Beggars Sect.”
“…I understand.”
“If we take the lead, will the other sects of Gupailbang or the Five Great Families really follow and support us in time?”
Beop Jong couldn’t respond easily. It was embarrassing to speak the truth, but as a Buddhist, he couldn’t let false words pass his lips either.
“As expected,”
Neungsam clicked his tongue. It wasn’t something one should do in front of the Abbot of Shaolin, but no one pointed it out under those circumstances.
“Then let me ask you one more thing.”
“What is it?”
“Is Shaolin truly prepared to take the lead in this matter?”
“…Take the lead?”
Beop Jong asked cautiously.
“I mean, even if the other sects don’t support us, is Shaolin willing to stand at the forefront, leading the sects present here, and fight against Sapaeryeon?”
“Of course…”
Beop Jong’s words trailed off, becoming faint. His tongue refused to move as his heart willed it.
The moment those words left his mouth, there would be no turning back.
The vanguard.
A word that had always seemed so simple, so casual, now weighed heavily upon him like never before.
Neungsam, observing him closely, clicked his tongue again, though this time only in his mind.
‘This is hopeless.’
All was not lost yet, though. If Shaolin were to fight fiercely at the forefront against Sapaeryeon, then the other hesitant sects would have no choice but to act.
They would fear the scorn of the entire world, and if Shaolin managed to win the battle while preserving their strength, there would be no stopping Shaolin’s dominance in Gangho.
However, Beop Jong could not bring himself to draw the sword.
‘What are you so afraid of?’
The Beop Jong from the time of the Martial Arts Competition would have nodded without hesitation. But the Beop Jong of today hesitated, stopping the nod before it could happen. Something weighed on his mind.
‘To lead means not pointing fingers from behind, but standing at the front and charging ahead.’
If Shaolin had forgotten that, there was nothing more he could do.
“Well, it seems we’ve reached a conclusion,”
Neungsam shrugged.
“Let’s concede the Yangtze River and just ensure they don’t come any further north.”
“Jao Gae, that’s not an option,”
Paeng Yeop immediately objected, but Neungsam only shook his head firmly.
“Lord Paeng, I am merely an elder of the Beggars Sect, not the Sect Leader.”
“I didn’t mean to disregard you.”
“That’s not the point. What I mean is that, as someone who doesn’t carry the responsibility of the Sect Leader, I can afford to say things others cannot. I don’t have to save face.”
“…”
“If we strike Surochae, it will certainly lead to war.”
“Why? They might retreat, might they not?”
“The Black Dragon King might. But do you really think Jang Ilso would?”
At the mention of Jang Ilso’s name, Paeng Yeop fell silent.
The reputation of Paegun Jang Ilso was seared into the memories of even those Just Sects who hadn’t been part of the Yangtze River Disaster.
Moreover, Jang Ilso was a man who combined the cunningness to entrap his enemies in perfect schemes with an unsettling decisiveness. Just hearing his name caused unease.
“If Jang Ilso realizes that there are only a few sects opposing Surochae, he will undoubtedly exploit that weakness to his advantage. Why should we reveal our weaknesses to him?”
Weakness.
The large rift that had spread across Gupaillbang. Neungsam’s point was that this weakness must not be exposed to Jang Ilso. By stepping back and merely pretending to monitor the situation, it would be difficult for the enemy to fully grasp their current disarray.
Even though Paeng Yeop fully understood the reasoning, he couldn’t hold back his frustration.
“What in the world are the other sects thinking? This is about facing Sapaeryeon! Instead of fighting to lead the charge, they’re all hesitating!”
A deep concern spread across Beop Jong’s face.
‘What’s the point in discussing it?’
With a deep sigh, he looked at Neungsam.
“Elder.”
“Yes, Abbot?”
“I have one question for you.”
“Please, ask away.”
After a brief pause, Beop Jong spoke.
“If Cheonumaeng were to join this battle, would the Beggars Sect be willing to fight alongside Shaolin?”
“…Did you say Cheonumaeng?”
“Yes.”
Neungsam subtly furrowed his brow.
“You’re referring to the Tang Clan and Hwasan, since the Ice Palace and Beast Palace wouldn’t be able to reach Central Plains, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Beop Jong nodded.
“I haven’t received a response yet, but I have reached out to the Alliance Leader of Cheonumaeng. It’s not an impossible outcome.”
“Not impossible…”
Neungsam repeated, deep in thought, his brow still furrowed.
‘Indeed…’
The most unpredictable factor for him was Cheonumaeng, especially Hwasan. That peculiar sect was impossible to pin down, and no one could predict what they might do next.
Logically speaking, Cheonumaeng, with no ties to Hubei or Henan, had no reason to involve itself in a matter that even Gupailbang were hesitant to engage in.
But…
‘It’s Hwasan, after all.’
Their deep-seated grudge against Sapaeryeon might drive them to use this opportunity to wipe out the Evil Sects entirely. Since Hwasan was so unpredictable, it wasn’t entirely out of the question.
“If Cheonumaeng does join the fight, it will certainly change the situation. In that case, we’ll no longer have to merely watch the enemy. The Tang Clan will surely join as well.”
“Hmm…”
Beop Jong quietly nodded.
“In that case, we’ll have to wait for Cheonumaeng’s response.”
“If you truly wish to stand against them, Abbot, then you must either sway the hearts of the sects that have withdrawn or bring Cheonumaeng into this. One of the two must be accomplished.”
“…Amitabha.”
Beop Jong softly chanted a Buddhist prayer.
‘So it all comes down to Cheonumaeng.’
Convincing the absent sects to change their minds was nearly impossible. Ultimately, Neungsam’s words boiled down to one thing: Shaolin needed to bring Cheonumaeng into this, no matter what.
The thought of once again having to rely on Cheonumaeng, and especially Hwasan, made Beop Jong sigh deeply. Yet at the same time, there was a small sense of relief.
It meant that, for the time being, he didn’t have to make an immediate decision about Shaolin’s fate. In his current state, even the time spent waiting for a response from Cheonumaeng and pleading with them was a reprieve.
But…
Unfortunately, things in life rarely unfold as one desires.
Bang!
At that moment, the door was flung open violently, and a man stormed into the room.
Beop Jong’s face twisted in displeasure as he sternly addressed the intruder.
“This is a gathering of Sect Leaders. How dare you act so recklessly?”
“B-Bad news, Abbot!”
But Beop Jong’s scolding faltered when he saw the pale, terrified expression on Beop Gye’s face. In that instant, he knew something had gone terribly wrong.
“What is it?”
“T-There’s…”
As Beop Gye, stammered out the news, Beop Jong’s face instantly turned ashen.
“Why… why now? How could this happen?”
A cry of despair, almost like a scream, erupted from his mouth.
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*慈烏 – (literally) a type of crows in which the offspring feeds the parents when they become old (慈 – compassionate, gentle; 烏 – crow). 丐 – beggar.
**能三 – this one is kind of tricky. Can be “the third capable” as in power-ranking. Can also be, if we give it some imagination, “master of 3 skills” or smth like that.
***도(刀) – single edged Chinese sword. They can be straight or curved. Those with wider blades are sometimes referred to as Chinese broadswords.
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Return of the Mount Hua 
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